Tip of the Hatton for amazing milestone

It’s a milestone 10 ½ years in the making for Apache Canada’s Hatton field staff.

Apache employees and their spouses enjoyed a special night of celebration in June, as the Hatton team was recognized for an amazing accomplishment – 1 million hours of work without a single Lost Time Incident (LTI).

To put that into perspective, that’s equivalent to 114 years, 29 days, 4 hours and 48 minutes. Going back in time, that takes one to 1898 when the United States declares war on Spain, the Hawaiian Islands are annexed, and the first oil drilling began in Alaska’s Cook Inlet.

Everybody, somebody, anybody and nobody

This is a little story about four people named
Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and
Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could do it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was
Everybody’s Job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it,
but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t
do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody
when Nobody did what Anybody could have
done.

About 70 people gathered for a celebratory dinner at the Richmound, Saskatchewan, community hall and a night that included a floodlight-lit buffet dinner – the result of a power outage – an inspirational keynote address by David “Explosion Man” Dyck and his wife Jamie, and a presentation of Apache-crested leather jackets to the Hatton team.

John Hawkins, Apache Canada’s Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) director, was on hand for the festivities and passed along congratulations on behalf of Apache Canada President Tim Wall, Vice-President of EH&S Jon Graham, and Apache Canada Transition Manager Brian Evert.

“It’s an incredible milestone,” Hawkins said of reaching 1 million hours of LTI-free operations. “If you look at your history, the amount of wells drilled and all the construction activity, the miles of roads you travel, and the weather extremes that you have, this is truly a great accomplishment. My hat’s off to each and every one of you.

“I do know that you look after each other and you look after yourself … to me that’s fantastic.”

Hawkins went on to read a personal message sent from Graham to the Apache staff.

“This is an example of a strong safety culture that complements a robust operating culture. For this safety culture to flourish, it must be embedded as a core value throughout the organization,” Graham wrote.

“Each employee and contractor must be committed to working safely and also be responsible for fellow workers. Apache has empowered you to make a difference in your workplace, and you have demonstrated that safety incidents are preventable and that each employee and contractor embraces a strong safety culture. Continue to take responsibility for safety performance and make a difference in Apache’s operations and success every day.”

Mike Voytechek, South Field Operations manager, left, and Lowell Lasalle, former Hatton operator, right, enjoy their new Apache leather jackets.

Mike Voytechek, manager of Apache Canada’s South Field Operations, was also on hand to congratulate the team, calling the million-hour milestone a rarity in the oil and gas industry and sharing congratulatory messages from former Apache Canada presidents John Crum and Brian Schmidt.

“Each one of you has led an incredible journey to reach this milestone,” Voytechek said, noting that he’s rarely heard of a company reaching the 1-million-hour mark without a Lost Time Incident. “This really is something we need to celebrate.”

The night was capped off with a keynote address on the importance of personal protective equipment by David and Jamie Dyck and the presentation of Apache-crested leather jackets to the Hatton team.

Apache Canada Ltd. has operated the Hatton field since May 2001 and drilled a total of 2,537 natural gas wells since that time, bringing the operating area’s well count to 4,260.

Apache Canada’s Hatton team, below, poses for a group photo while wearing their new Apache-crested leather jackets.

NingalooVision team achieves impressive milestones

Applauded for year with no LTI; Apache takes operatorship of first FPSO

On the opposite side of the world, in an environment much unlike Hatton field, Apache Australia employees also reached an impressive milestone, achieving on July 24 a full year without an LTI aboard the Ningaloo Vision (NV) floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel.

“On behalf of the team onshore, I would like to congratulate all personnel on board Ningaloo Vision in achieving one full year without an LTI,” said Mark Robertson, floating production systems manager. “It is a tremendous achievement, obtained during a year when many significant milestones have been achieved.

”Months of hard work paid off for the team when the government regulator accepted the Safety Case for Apache’s first-owned FPSO, the final vital step toward Apache taking operatorship of the NV. Apache’s safety team, management and crew together reached these milestones.

Robertson said the group should be applauded for achieving the milestone in the midst of a significant transitional project on a producing facility in a marine environment. He also acknowledged the shore-based personnel for their ongoing support of the facility.

Tom Maher, managing director of Apache Energy, agreed: “What a great result and an accomplishment to be proud of. I also want to echo Mark’s sentiments that both the shore-based personnel and the personnel on board the Ningaloo Vision have really performed well managing Apache’s first FPSO anywhere in the world. Another outstanding team effort!”

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